Re-numbering of berths in AC Coaches

Subramanianji, you are right here. Passengers booking tickets should have the right to choose and opt for berths of their choice. Berth allotment should not come as a "rude" surprise to anybody, as the passenger is paying for the same and nobody is doing anybody a favour here. If such an option is available whilst booking itself, then payment for the same can be made accordingly. In the present case, after the payment has been already made, then the system allots the berth, thus if one wants to cancel the same, one has to now incur an additional "cancellation" charge as well unnecessarily. Worst case scenario is for passengers paying the highest fare of First A/c and requesting for Lower berth being given Upper berth and the same is declared just a few minutes before the departure of the train. If the same is known at the time of booking, the passenger has the choice to book a Second a/c ticket instead. Allotment of First A/c berths at the last moment smacks of remnants of the British Raj, where the "High and mighty" be allotted the "best berths" and the rest are for the "highest fare paying honest passengers"!!! The monopolistic attitude of the Railways needs to be amended as early as possible, whereby the Railways absolves itself of the responsibility of allotment of berths. Nowhere in the world do you have such kind of practice as you have here in India. Worldwide passengers can choose and book their tickets as per their choice and not as per the choice of the "Railways" with which they are traveling. This obnoxious system needs to be changed as soon as possible. Side berths should be allotted to those getting down in between, so that inner passengers are least disturbed during their longer journeys. Similarly, side berths can also be used for last minute ticket booking passengers like TATKAL, etc. Jain saab is fully right here, side berths of 2nd A/c are no better than 3rd A/c and the passenger paying for the fare should have the choice to accept or reject the berth being allotted to him/her "before having to make payment" or since the Railways are on a revenue generating spree, maybe they can charge a few rupees more for lower berths from non-senior citizens and male passengers, to enable senior citizens, medical patients and ladies to travel better. Ganesh Ayyarji is fully right here more  

B P Jain Side berths in 2nd AC is no better than 3rd AC.Rly should charge 3rd AC fare for all side berths. Software should be upgraded.My wife got upper side berth and I got lower side berth.It seems Rly consider our better half as sports person. Comments of Mr Sethura Vembu and R V Subramanian are worth considering. more  

IRCTC booking software should be modified in such a way that people who are below 30 years are never allotted lower berths in coaches. This is simply because the senior citizens, irrespective of time of booking always expect lower berths which is a point of argument during travel. Frankly there is no point in younger people below 30 or 35 years travelling on lower berths while people of 60/65 are allotted top berths. This can be done easily, wherein as soon as one enters the name of the passenger and gender and age, if person is below 30 or 35, he/she should not get a choice of lower berth. If such a provision is incorporated in the software itself, there would be less hassles and lesser arguments/requests during travel time. Older people take it as a matter of right that they should be given lower berth even when they are allotted upper berths. They walk into the compartment and almost rudely demand for a berth change and expect to be obliged. Yuva Express trains are exclusively for youths and they should be encouraged to travel more on those trains. more  

Soft ware addition / Efforts to be taken by the Railway that for the berth type (i.e Lower/ Middle/ Upper/ Side lower/ side upper) should be displayed before doing the payment by the passenger. more  

Since we all pay high fare to travel on AC class, the raiways should provide seat map and the passenger should be allowed to select the seat depending on their convenience. I being a senior citizen upper bearths are alloted even if your selection is for lower bearth with no condieration for age. All senior citizer must be allotted only inner lower berths. more